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The Metaphysical View of Death and Life After Death Part 11

To conclude this section may we just addFrom what we have said so far, it may be
that Newton's subjects emphasizesurmised that there are various forms of
strongly that God is never once seen indeath, and this is true. St. Paul hints
the higher realms, although a strongof this when he declared, "I die daily"
feeling of a Supreme Power is felt(I Cor 15:31). We tabulate the forms of
ruling the ongoings of devachan, ordeath in the following:
"heaven," and the kinetic motion of1) Death to higher realities and
magnetic streams of energy flowing inverities
the atmosphere and environment. This2) Death to a higher awareness of
truth denounces certain religiousdivinity
beliefs that in heaven one would finally3) Death of one's slumber in matter
see God face to face--for while on earth4) Death of the false ego and its
one may not see God's face and live, onecarnal, self-centered desires
would surely behold God's countenance in5) Death of sleep
heaven. This principle has been6) Death of the physical and etheric
vmisunderstood and misinterpreted forbodies
the past two thousand years; it should7) Death of the astral body
actually be understood in a mystical8) Death of the mental form
rather than in a literal manner. ItWe will briefly describe each one: death
reminds us of Gautama Buddha's silenceto higher realities and verities, and
when questioned about God--thethe death to higher awareness of
implication of his subtle answerdivinity are related. This is in fact
revealing a profound truth to thethe involutionary path of the soul as it
initiated.descends for the first time in a new
Summarizing the scientific viewpoint oncycle of manifestation, or "manvantara."
death and the afterlife--based on yearsIn involution the soul loses a certain
of careful psychical, parapsychologicalawareness only to regain it with an
research--the following conclusions haveenhancement during the Path of Return.
been reached:Most souls prolong this period of
1) That humans are essentiallyignorance and awareness of higher
immaterial in nature and that the humanmultidimensional truths by their own
essence, or self-awareness, survivesfree-will.
physical death.Death of one's slumber in matter is the
2) That human soul-units exist atawakening of the soul's aspiration to
differentiated levels of awareness inspiritual possibilities--paradoxically,
dimensions beyond the physicalit could also mean being spiritually
light-spectrum, beyond the reach ofunconscious; this is followed by the
physical sensory perception.death, or transcendence of the false ego
3) That contact with departed souls is aand its expressions in the movement
possible feat under certain conditionswithin the evolutionary spiral. The
and circumstances.death of sleep occurs every night as the
4) That all human soul-unitssoul takes flight to subtle worlds.
periodically re-embody or reincarnate toDeath of the physical and etheric bodies
continue their evolution.occur when one leaves the present
5) That all re-embody according to theincarnation for the astral world. This
law of causation, or karma; or soulis followed by the deaths of the astral
desire.and mental forms as the soul rises
DISCUSSIONShigher and higher to rest for a period
As we have seen in the previous chapter,in the causal body before preparing to
death according to the variousreincarnate.
traditions, metaphysical experiences andKnowledge of the nature of death and the
modern scientific discoveries, does notother worlds are important subjects for
annihilate the human soul; andevery metaphysician. As said earlier in
relationships formed on the physicalthis paper, in the course of one's
plane do not cease at the termination ofmetaphysical ministry, one would often
one's incarnation, as is normallyencounter individuals in bereavement
believed; also, one's aspirations, goalsrequiring comfort and solace. Equipped
and ambitions, though simply andwith a higher understanding of the
seemingly cut-short prematurely at anature of death and the purpose of life,
stroke of the scythe by the grim reapermetaphysicians are in a better position
called death, is actually brought overto enlighten humanity, and to fulfill
to the Otherside for a further strategicone of their functions as ministers. To
development that would bloom in a laterCatholics, administering the "Extreme
incarnation. We have also seen that theUnction," or the last sacrament to the
nature of death and the afterlife can bedying may be considered vital. But to
known to those who are willing tothe metaphysician, much more is required
develop the necessary sensory facultiesto guide the soul through the dying
of the astral form and its ability ofprocess. With the appropriate knowledge
soul-flight. Additionally, we have dealtand occult ability, the metaphysician
somewhat of the nature of heaven andmay assist souls in making a more
hell, including the Judgment, from themeaningful transition. Deathbed-rites of
various metaphysical, religious andan occult formula and design, taking the
scientific perspectives. We havebardo into consideration, are needed by
described and hinted of some of the waysthose engaged in the metaphysical field.
and means of avoiding those undesiredThe importance and purpose of life
experiences, states and conditions to beshould be appended and stressed in those
found in the bardo, and even in therites as a lesson not only for the
lower astral. Non-attachment to thedeparted, but for those who are left
physical form and earthly life isbehind. An experience of a loss of a
helpful in the process of a peaceful andbeloved one through the portals of death
easy transition, and in a smooth journeyon the part of grieving and confused
through the bardo--this ought to be keptindividuals should be looked upon by
in mind. And lastly, with themetaphysicians as opportunities for the
descriptions by subjects of NDEs andsowing of the seeds of truth into their
communications from the beyondreceptive consciousness. Metaphysicians
concerning the death process, we can beas farmers in the vineyard of truth
assured that dying does not have toshould play their part perfectly. By
entail any mental, emotional or physicaloffering various truths concerning the
agony; on the contrary, it may result innature of death-truths that are
one of the most joyful states thatrational, logical, helpful and
average souls may experience at itsspiritually stimulating--we improve the
present evolutionary level. It provideswhole image of the metaphysical ministry
a certain pre-taste of what the nirvanicin the minds of the public. The more
state is like when once the soul ismetaphysicians have to offer to the
liberated and fully aware of its divinepublic as to occult and esoteric
unity with All That Is.knowledge and as to the expressions of
Humans may fear death, but "being dead"their high psychism, the more will the
is actually the present state ofpublic's awareness be stirred and lifted
awareness of most people. To be unawareto a higher plane of consciousness.
of one's higher microcosmic principlesMetaphysics as a synthesis of religious,
is simply a consciousness of death. Whatspiritual, philosophical, and scientific
separates the seen from the unseen istruths has the capacity to offer what
the level of one's waking consciousness,traditional forms of religion, science
and the psychological impurities withinand modern philosophies are incapable of
one's subconscious mind. There areoffering--that is, real help.
several components in the microcosmSUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
making up what we call the divine, humanIn the Introduction of this paper we
being. The more components we are awarepresented the purpose and the need of
and conscious of, the more alive wewhy this subject had to be written and
become in the spiritual sense.discussed--of the importance of its
Non-experience of the higher principlesplace in the metaphysical ministry as
and realities do not mean that they dowell as its influence upon the
not exist, it is just that the facultyindividual and society as a whole. This
for higher perception has not yet beenpurpose was again stressed in the
developed. Fear is what closes the veilprevious chapter. In order to organize
to spiritual knowing. When we fear, weour thoughts regarding the subject, we
circumscribe our consciousness. Fear offormulated several themes that would be
the unknown, is the ignorance of thethe basis for the structure of our
source of our fear. Identification withpaper. Our fundamental themes consisted
mortal principles simply perpetuates (orof the following:
perpetrates?) one's mortal existence as1) The survival of personal
a normal human being--and it alsoconsciousness
maintains one's fears. We are meant to2) The process of transition
be perfect--as advised by the Piscean3) The nature of life after so-called
Master--perfect in consciousness, indeath
knowledge, and in awareness. AttainingThe structure of our findings and of
immortality, or awareness of such,this paper, was based upon four
requires the shedding of mortalperspectives:
concepts, beliefs, attitudes and1) Religion/mythology
feelings. With such spiritual labour we2) The occult tradition
gradually build the link between the3) Tibetan Buddhism
lower and higher principles and ensure4) Parapsychology
the continuity of consciousness, and theFrom each perspective, we initially
awareness of the illusory nature ofdealt with the basic themes from a
death. With each extermination of acertain point of view, but ended up with
false concept we become more alive in athe same findings, the same conclusions,
spiritual sense. Death, "the lastand the same cosmic truths;
enemy," as declared in scriptures,nevertheless, among the above
though inevitable, will be swallowed upperspectives, there is still much to be
in victory when once its maya-nature issaid about religion as a whole that has
understood and the continuity ofsomewhat misrepresented the spiritual
consciousness acquired. Death will thentruths as taught by their founders. We
lose its sting. Death ends when once theare certain, though, that every
multidimensionality of one's being ismetaphysician would research into this
realized, and when once one's liberationsubject sooner or later as it is
from the wheel of reincarnation ismentally and spiritually rewarding. In
attained. What we call death is anyears to come "death" will be a time of
illusion. This is echoed in the words ofcelebration and not a time of mourning
the Taoist poet, Chuang Tzu:as it is now.
"Birth is not a beginning, death is notFinally, in the fifth chapter, we
an end."discussed on humanity's basic
Fear simply robs individuals of theirpsychological problem--that of senseless
physical, emotional, mental andfear. We have seen how this fear robs
spiritual energies--energies which couldman of his or her true life as a divine
be used for more constructive andson or daughter of God living an
creative purposes. When enlightened ofabundant life in the here and now. We
the nature of death, like Socrates, wehave also briefly discussed how the
will not fear it; and this knowledge,elimination of the fear of death would
understanding, and enlightenment wouldtransform the individual and society as
greatly help humanity to live ana whole.
abundant life, as promised by MasterTo sublimate and transcend this fear
Jesus. Like a chain effect, thecondition that overwhelms society we
awareness of the non-existence of deathsuggest that additional research be
and the truth of man's purpose for beingconducted into along the lines of
would improve the quality, nature, andsoul-investigation, and into the many
service of every governmental departmentother principles of the bardo process
and institution, affecting society'snot discussed or discovered by Tibetan
consciousness, development and welfare.Lamas. Ways of researching into this
But to return to the emotion of fearshould be conducted in a scientific and
ingrained in Man, there are severalintuitive manner, though this may not
principles that assist one to "die"always be through conventional methods.
without fear:Researchers should not fear probing into
1) Non-attachment to physical form,the invisible, into the immaterial, or
earthly possessions, and relationships.into the abstract. Through research
2) Understanding that death is naturalwithin a single avenue, other
and that it does not end one'spossibilities will present themselves.
aspirations.An answer to a single question begets
3) Understanding and being aware ofmany more questions, ad infinity; thus
one's true nature as divine andhumanity progresses.
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